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The trucking industry is rapidly changing. An ever-increasing demand for products and faster turnaround times, coupled with older generations retiring, resulted in what’s known as the trucker “capacity crunch.” Unfortunately, this capacity crunch also means truckers are trying to drive longer distances and take fewer breaks, thus leading to more deadly accidents.

If you were involved in a recent truck accident, give the Law Firm of DiMarco | Araujo | Montevideo a call today. Our experienced Orange County truck accident lawyers are standing by to give you the advice and help you need to get the compensation you deserve.

Despite increased awareness and new safety technology, truck accidents and related injuries and fatalities are on the rise. The National Highway Safety Administration reported that accident rates increased by 18% between 2011 and 2012. More recently in 2015, 3,852 people died in large truck crashes, a number that is 22% higher than it was back in 2009. Whether this is due to the increasing capacity crunch, the rising population, or the deteriorating condition of our nation’s roads, it’s a sad reality.

What Makes Truck Accidents Different?

Causes

There are a number of reasons a trucking accident can occur, but some of them may indicate negligence on behalf of the other party involved. Some of the most common causes of truck accidents are mechanical failures, inadequate safety measures, poor road conditions, and sleep deprivation. In some cases, the driver of the other vehicle may be responsible, as is the case when drivers illegally change lanes or become distracted. No matter your situation, an experienced Orange County truck accident attorney can help identify if there is any negligence involved in your claim.

Weight and Size

According to the NHTSA, trucking accidents tend to be more severe in nature than almost any other type of car accident because of the sheer size and weight of the vehicles. Not only does this make the impact on other vehicles more forceful, but it also lengthens the amount of time it takes to brake and limits maneuverability. Because of this, the majority of fatal crashes (73%) result in the deaths of the occupants of the other car, while only 18% end in truck driver fatality. Aside from fatal injuries, trucking accidents also commonly cause a number of catastrophic non-fatal injuries, including broken bones, head trauma, and spinal damage.

Time Sensitivity

When a trucker is involved in an accident, they radio their dispatcher. The dispatcher then gets the trucking company’s lawyers and investigative team to the trucking accident site within an hour, sometimes even before the police, tow trucks, ambulance, or fire trucks arrive. Their team immediately starts to survey the scene and look for any evidence that can somehow pin the fault of the accident on you.

If the large company you will be facing in court is legally defending their case within an hour of the accident, shouldn’t you be too? Call an Orange County truck accident lawyer to help you preserve the evidence and protect your side of the case. It is important to be proactive to ensure that you receive fair compensation.

What Kinds of Damages Can I Collect?

Damages are the award granted to the party in order to compensate them for a loss or injury. Doctor’s visits, time lost from work, property damage, and pain and suffering are all examples of expenses for which you can be compensated. Some of these costs, like medical bills, are easy to calculate while others are less concrete.

Pain and suffering isn’t an easy thing to measure, so the court will instead use a “pain multiplier” to come up with a number. The pain multiplier will be used in a formula to calculate an appropriate amount of compensation for your pain and suffering.

Types of Trucks

Semi-Trucks

A semi-truck is also called a big rig or a semi-trailer truck. It usually consists of two parts: the tractor and the trailer. The tractor is what tows the trailer and where the engine is and the driver works and sometimes sleeps (also called the cab). The tractor typically has three axels. The front axel is for steering whereas the back two axels are used to hold wheels that support the load and the trailer. The trailer usually only has two axels but they can hold four wheels each. That is how a semi-truck can have 16 or 18 wheels and can be called a 16-wheeler or 18-wheeler. The trailer is coupled with the road tractor by being bolted or being coupled by fifth wheel coupling or automatic coupling. Semi-trucks are, of course, in heavy use by shipping companies and freight companies.

Peterbilt Truck

Peterbilt has been manufacturing and building trucks since 1939. They have mainly focused on making trucks that are medium or heavy duty in the Class 5 through Class 8 range. During our over three decades of protecting victims of truck accidents, we have seen plenty of accidents involving Peterbilt trucks. The most popular models that are on the road today that Peterbilt makes include the 389, the 388, the 384, the 367 (which is a Heavy Haul truck), the 365, the 330, the 335, the 340 (short haul and pickup model), the 325, the 320 (used in many cases as a concrete pumper), the 390, the 220, and the 587. Peterbilt also builds semi-trailer trucks, liquefied natural gas (LNG) trucks, hybrid models, aerodynamic trucks, vocational truck models, freightliner trucks, dump trucks and cab-over engine trucks. They typically utilize PACCAR engines for their trucks including the PACCAR MX Heavy Duty Engine, the PACCAR PX-8 Engine, and the PACCAR PX-6 Engine.

Mack Trucks

Mack is a truck manufacturing company that is a subsidiary of AB Volvo. They make construction trucks, heavy duty trucks, highway trucks, refuse trucks, and military trucks. They even used to make fire trucks and now only serve and refurbish the ones they already sold. Their construction models include the Mack Granite, Mack Granite Axle Black, TerraPro Cabover, Heavy Duty Titan, Highway Series Pinnacle Sleepers, Pinnacle Axle Forward, Pinnacle DayCab, Pinnacle Rawhide, Smartway Highway Truck, TerraPro Cabover Refuse Truck, TerraPro Low Entry Refuse Truck, Granite Axle Black Refuse Truck, Granite Refuse Truck, and the Granite Armored Line Haul Military Truck. The Mack Powertrain is well known especially the MP7 Engine Systems.

Dump Trucks

There can be numerous types of dump trucks on a construction site. The basic design is the same though: A bed or container for materials and an ability to lift the container or bed to let the load slide out of the dump truck to where it needs to go. They are often loaded by heavy equipment like cranes or shovel trucks. The most common types of dump trucks to cause accidents include transfer dump trucks, side dump truck, dumper trucks, gravel trucks, hydraulic dump trucks, articulated dump truck, superdump truck, truck and pups, semi-trailer end dump truck, semi trailer bottom dump truck, double trailer bottom dump truck, triple trailer bottom dump truck, off-road dump truck, winter service dump truck, garbage trucks and others.

Contact Us Immediately

DiMarco | Araujo | Montevideo has worked in personal injury law since 1979, and we have extensive experience in trucking accident cases. Our goal is to obtain the most compensation possible for your medical expenses and other damages. Whether your accident was caused by low safety standards, mechanical malfunctions, or another driver’s behavior, our Orange County truck accident lawyers will help you gather the evidence and substantiate your claim. Contact us today to discuss your case.

NO up-front costs you don't pay unless we win

DiMarco | Araujo | Montevideo uses contingency fees to provide some of the best legal representation for personal injury cases in Orange County. If we do not earn you a verdict or settlement, you will not incur any legal fees for our time. This gives us every incentive to maximize recovery for you.